Indicator for cameras



Dec. '18 1923. 1,478,318

E. M. WOODWORTH INDICATOR FOR CAMERAS Filed July 18, 1922 s Sheets-Shet 1 W/TNE INVENTOR 9 i Z? Zww-c7/][ mmawm-m v By M ATTORNEYS Dec. 18 1923.

1,478,318 E. M. WOODWORTH INDICATOR FOR CAMERAS Filed July 18, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet IIVVENTOR A TTORIVEVS Deeds, 1923.

E. M. WOODWORTH INDICATOR FOR CAMERAS Filed July 18,

1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 rllllllllll llll l E!!! mm 11101111 71111 Patented Dec. 18, 1923.

I 1,478,318 PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD IOBEY WOODWOBTH, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- I'OUBTH T0 CHAUNCEY C. WOODWORTH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

INDICATOR FOR CAMERAS.

Application filed July 18, 1922. Serial No. 575,828.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD M. Wo0n- WORTH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Indicator for Cameras, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to cameras and particularly to an indicating device for indicating when the film has been. changed or advanced.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, positive operating indicating mechanism which necessitates advancing of the film before a new picture can be seen through the finder of the camera.

Another object is to provide an indicator which will operate with the camera either in a vertical or a horizontal position.

An additional object is to provide an indicating mechanism for indicating when the film has been turned which is shifted automatically to a set position when the film has been properly turned and which may be shifted to a set position manually without turning so that upon the intervention of the operator, the indicator may be moved at any time while ordinarily it is moved automatically at the time the film is shifted.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a erspective view of a camera with an embo iment of the invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the front part of the camera shown in Figure 1 with part of the invention applied thereto and with certain parts shown insection. for better illustrating the construction.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view through Figure 2 on line 3--3.

Figure 4 is a viewsimilar to Figure 3 but with the parts in a difi'erent position.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view through Figure 2 on line 5- 5.

Fi ure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing the parts in a difier'ent position.

Figure 7 is a sectional view through Figure 2 on line 7-7.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 but showing the parts in a different position,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectlonal view on an enlarged scale, through Flgure 1 approximately on line 9-9.

Figure 10 is a sectional view through Figure 9 on line lO--10.

F i ure 11 is a fra mentary transverse sectiona view through Figure 9 on line l1--l1. Figure 12 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view through Figure 9 on line 12-12. Referrin to the accompanying drawings by numera 15 indicates a camera of any usual or preferred kind, as for instance, an ordinary film camera wherein the \film is mounted on a suitable roller and is unwound as used, b a suitable hand operated member 16 whic rotates a suitable roller. The camera 15 is provided with the usual bellows 17 which in turn is provided with the usual front piece 18 carrying the lens and associated parts including a finder 19. 7 As is well known, an operator oftentimes forgets to turn the member 16 for presenting a new exposure of the film after having snapped the shutter. Various mean have been suggested to overcome this human weakness, said structures being more or less successful. In the present invention an improved structure has been provided which accomplishes in a very efiicient manner the desired result. One embodiment of the invention has been shown in the accompanying drawings which presents means for automatically shutting off the finder after each exposure ;v also means for automatically uncovering the finder when a new exposure has been moved to a correct osition in back of the lens. In addition to these automatic features, the shutter or closing blade for thefinder is so designed and mounted as to be manually shiftable whenever desired. As is common in cameras of the kind shown in the drawings, the finder 19 may be used in the vertical position as shown in Fi ure 1 or may be moved over to a horizonta position as shown in Figure 8. .The shutter 20' and associated parts are so constructed and mounted as to operate with the finder in either of the two positions mentioned.

The finder 19 is depending lugs 21 w ich are provided with apertures through which the shaft 22 extends. In this way, the finder is rotatably mounted on shaft 22 which shaft is supported on the platform 23 which platform is formed integral with or rigidly secured to the front 18. The finder 19 13 provided with depending wallswhich are in fact extensions of the ears 21 so that th re will be 8' small provided with suitable chamber at the bottom of the finder. The platform 23 is provided with ears 24 through which the shaft 22 asses, said ears being at one end of the platfhrm 23 and at the opposite end there is provided an upstanding support 25 on which one end of the finder rests when in one position. The shaft 22 is rigidly secured by a suitable pin or other whereby the sleeve'may freely reciprocate on v the flattened section but cannot rotate independently thereof. .A spring '30 acts on sleeve 29 to move the same in one direction and on a suitable stop 31 secured to the outer end of the flattened section. When the shutter 20 is moved manually or automatically as hereinafter fully described to the position shown in Figure 1, the move- ,ment of the shutter will rotate the shaft 22 and-also bring the aperture 32 into alignmentwith the locking pin, or extension 33 of the slide 34. This slide isguided by a suitable screw or pin 35 and is urged outwardly by the spring 30 which acts to slide the sleeve 29 and said sleeve in turn moves the slide 34 by reason of the extension 36 projecting into the path of movement as part of the sleeve 29. Though the spring 30 acts to move the slide 34 and the pin or extension 33 so as to lock the shutter 20 open, this spring will not interfere with the rotation of the shaft 22 when the pin 23 has been moved out of engagement with. the shutter 20. This latter movement 'is caused either automatically or manually through the ac-' tion of certain parts hereinafter fully described.

The slide 34 is provided'with an apertured extension 37 through which the shaft 22 loosely extends, said shaft also extendin loosely through a ,hook 38 preferably forme integral with the one leg of the bell crank lever 39, the opposite leg of said bell crank the camera and the. detail structure thereof forms no part of the present invention.

It will be noted that the shutter of the camera may be operated either by the lever 44 or by a owden wire structure 45. When the parts are in the sition shown in Figure 1 and the shutter ever 44 or the Bowden wire structure 45 is actuated in order to' make an exposure, the movement of the lever 44 will cause the link 40 and associated parts to be pulled and, conse uently, will cause the pin 33 to release the s utter 20 whereupon the shutter will move in front of the finder 19 substantially simultaneously with the making of the exposure. If desired, the shutter 20 could be manually o ened or moved to the position shown in igure 1 though ordinarily thisis not done. In case the operator forgets to shift the film and desires to take a second picture he will be unable to use the finder by reason of the closed position of the shutter 20. This will be an indication or notice that the film has not been changed and he will thereupon operate the hand member 16 for shifting the film. When this is operated, mechanism hereinafter fully described will be also operated for automatically moving the shutter '20 to the position shown in Figure 1 as the film is shifted. From this it will be seen that the camera may be used in the usual manner and no attention need be made to the operation of the indicating means as it will automatically uncover the finder when a new section of film is in proper position for another exposure.

in turn is pivotally mounted at (Figure 7) on the front 18, said am 49 'being noranally held in a lowered position by a retractile spring 51. The arm 49 is raised by "a slide 52 provided with a pair of guiding pins 53 and 54 (Figure 2), guiding pin 54 being secured to one end of the wire 55 lever being pivotally connected to a link 40."

The bell crank lever 39 is pivotally mounted' on the platform 23 by a suitable screw 41. Whenever the link 4 0 is. pulled in one direction, the hook 38 will be moved toward the spring 30 and will, consequently, push the extension 37 and the slide 34 a sufficient distance for disengaging the pin 33 from the sleeve 56 and also through the coiled wire 57, which coiled guide wire, together which wire extends through the guidirg 1 e with the wire 55, presents a Bowden wire structure for conveying reciprocat ory motion from the parts associated with member 16 to the slide 52. The guide pins 53 and 54 are proizided with enlarged heads 1 fitting against the stationary plate 58 which plate is provided with suitable slots 59 and *60 through which the pins respectively pro-.

ject. The plate-58 is provided with a lug or extension' fil to which guiding" sleeve 56 is rigidly secured. Whenthe member 16 is operated for moving-.the'wire for elevating the slide" 52, saidyslide in turn will elevate the lever 49 and pawl 48. As the pawl 48 moves! upwardly, .it will strike the lug 47 (Figurefi) and willrotate the sleeve 29 until the lpin, 33Ifmay move into the aperture 32.; hisis-true where the finder is ina vertical, osition' asshown in Figures 5, 6 and 7 ,7 here it ,is in a horizontal position as shown in Figure 8, the lug 4 6 will act instead of lug 47.

In order that the hand operated member 16 may properly actuate the. wire 55, mechanism has been provided as shown articularly in Figures 1 and 9 to 12 inclusive.

/ shown in Figure 1 the member. 16 is provided witha cam. 62 which cam is positioned to engage the upper end 63 of a slide bar 64 and depresses' "the same against the action of spring 65;

the spring 65 arearrangedin suitable cut- This slide and out portions in the casingv of "the camera which camera is alsoprovided with a slot 66 in whichthe projection 67 of slide 64 Car transverse blade 71 fitting into a suitable slot 72 in a drum 73, said blade 71.bein

rigidlysecured to a shaft 74, which sha t has a stop 75 connected therewith so that when the member 16 is pulled outwardly, said stop will compress the spring 76 and said spring in turn will tend to return the parts to their former position with the bifurcated end .77 ofshaft 74 straddling the bar 78 connected with the usual roller 79 of the camera. It will thus be seen that the usual connections are maintained for the roller while the cam 62 and associated" parts perform their functions automatically. It

will be noted that in case the cam 72 should be, rotated several times, which may ble necessary to properly position the film, said additional rotation will not afiect the shutter 20 as only the first rotation will actuate or move to an open position this shutter.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a camera having a shutter'mechanism and a finder, of anindicator, comprising a shutter mounted to swing into and .out of light obscuring position relative to said finder, manually actuated means flor moving said last mentioned shutter out of light obscuring position, and both manually actuated and automatically actuated means for causing the last mentioned shutter to move into light obscuring position relative to the finder substantially simultaneously with 'for moving the shutter to a light obscuring position relative .to the finder, manually actuated means for moving the shutter to a non-light obscuring osition, and means automatically actuated camera is shifted, said means acting to rotate said shaft and move the shutter out of light obscurin position.

- 3. In an in icator for cameras provided with finders, a shutter for the finder, a plurality of means for moving the shutter out of light obscuring position, and means actuated by the shutter of the camera for causing the shutter co-operating with the finder to move into light obscuring position in respect to' the finder.

4. In a device of the character described, a shutter, a rotatable shaft for said shutter, a spring for moving the rotating shaft in one direction, a slidin bar having a locking pin for locking the s utter in one position, a s ring for sliding said bar to a locked position, and manually actuated means for sliding the bar to an unlocked position.

.5. Inan indicator of the character described, a shutter, arock shaft rigidly secured to the shutter, said shutter being provided with an opening, a sliding bar rovided with a pin, spring means for movmg said bar so that the pin will project through said opening when the openin has been brought into registry therewit a sprin for movin the shutter to a finder securing position, automatically actuated means for rotating said shaft and shutter until said pin moves into said aperture, and manually actuated means for shifting the pin to a position out of said aperture.

6. In an'indicator of the characterdescribed, a shutter for a finder, a shaft rigidly secured to the shutter, a spring for moving the shutter to a. finder obscuring position,

a lockin mechanism for locking the shutter in a di erent position, means for moving said shutter to a different position, said means includin a cam secured to the mechanism of t e camera used in shifting the film, a sliding bar actuated by said cam,

means for transmitting motion from the sliding bar to said shutter, and means for manually releasing said locking mechanism.

7. The combination with a camera havin shutter mechanism and a finder, of an in icator, comprising a shutter mounted to swing into tion relative to the finder, a s rlng for swinging said sgitter into ight obwhen the film of the v and out of light obscuring posiscuring position; means connected with the film shifting mechanism of the camera for swinging sald shutter against the action of said spring to a position away from the light obscuring position, a sprin pressed lock for locking the shutter in the%ast mentioned position, and a manually actuated mechanism .for shifting the locking mechanism out of engagement with the shutter whereby said spring will swingthe shutter to a light obscuring position.

8. The combination with a camera havin a shutter mechanism and a finder, of an in icator comprising a shutter mounted to swing into and out of light obscuring position relative to the finder, a spring pressed bolt engaging said shutter for locking the same in one posit-ion, manually actuated means for disengaging said bolt from said shutter and thereby releasing it, a spring for swinging said shutter to a light obscuring position on the release by said bolt, and

means connected to the fihn shifting mechanism of the camera for moving the shutter out of light obscuring position relative to the finder.

9. The combination with a camera having a shutter mechanism and a finder, of an indicator comprising, a shutter mounted to swing into and out of light obscuring position relative to the finder, manually actuated means for causing the shutter to move to a position into light obscuring position, and means operated from a point adjacent the roller of the camera for moving the shutter out of light obscuring position, said last mentioned means includin a rotatable cam, a slide movable in one irection by and cam, a spring for moving said slide in the opposite direction, a power wire recipro cated by said slide, a second slide reciprocated by said power wire, and means in:- cludi a pawl actuated by said second slide gr swinging the shutter away from light obscuring ition. .v i

10. In an indicator device of the char: acter described, a rotating shaft, a shutter connected with the rotating shaft, a sleeve slidably mounted on said shaft, but rotatable therewith, said'sleeve having a pair of shoulders or abutments, a spring pre pawl co-acting with said ahutments, a reciprocatin slide for moving said awl In one direction, a spring for moving t e pawl in the opposite direction, a power wire for operating said reciprocating slide, and means including a cam connected with the roller of the camera for actuating said power wire.

11. In an indicator of the character de-' scribed, a shutter, a rock shaft rigidly secured to said shutter provided with a flatsection at one end, a,' .sleeve slidably'mounted on said flat section, said sleeve being provided with a plurality of shoulders, means including a 8 ring pressed pawl for engaging said shou ders for movi the shaft and shutter in one direction, an spr ng means for moving the shutter inthe opposite direction.

EDWARD MOREY WOODWORTH. 

